Mortar spreader



J. F. BUTLER MORTAR SPREADER April 6, 1954 Filed April 25, 1951 INVENTOR. a"? 3 .6% BY fizz" AW am 1 l I l l l l I I l l II fi :1 "IIIIIIrIIII-EL 2.. 1.. ih?. .lll'li'll'll'fl If! fl'ffll'flfi'ili'fll'lIf!!! Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE I MORTAR SPREADER Joseph F. Butler, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application April 25,1951, Serial No. 222,820

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mortar spreaders particularly for use in applying wall plaster and it is among the objects thereof to provide a mortar spreader that will take the place of both the hawk and trowel.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a mortar spreader which will have the normal capacity of a mortar hawk and which will be hinged on an arm for handling in a manner to eliminate the need for a trowel in the application of the mortar to the wall. The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, in which like reference characters designate like parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a mortar spreader embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 an end elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 side elevational views of the mortar hawk illustrating severa1 positions in the application of the mortar to the wall;

Fig. 4 a side elevational view of a modified form of mortar hawk, and

Fig. 5 a rear elevational view of the form of mortar hawk shown in Fig. 4 extended on its hinged support.

With reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the numeral I designates the studding of a wall on which is mounted plaster or wall board 2, to which mortar 3 is applied. The mortar is loaded on a hawk plate 4 hinged at 5 on a supporting plate 6, the hawk 4 being provided with a handle or grip I for manipulating the hawk about its pivot on the hinge 5. Hawk plate 4 may be of a flexible sheet material such as stainless steel or it may be of a heavier gage metal. It is to be noted that the hawk plate l extends a substantial distance beyond the hinge 5 so that in its lifted position it will provide a smoothening edge 8, Fig. 4, and the supporting plate 6 is provided with a handle or grip 9 by which it is raised to position against the wall as shown in Fig. 4.

If it is desirable to utilize the hawk plate with a hand trowel it may be locked to base plate 6 by a pin 6a that extends through a pair of hinge lugs 6b attached to plates 4 and 6 as shown in Fig. 4.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, the hawk plate designated by the numeral Ii! is hinged on a bracket II and like the hawk of Fig. 4 the plate It is provided with a grip or handle l2. Instead of the handle 9 of the hawk of Fig. e, an arm 13 is provided having a lug I4 by which it may rest on the fioor before it is raised for use. The hawk plate Ill is held in the down position as shown in the bottom view of Fig. 3 by a link I5 that slides through a bracket l6 and which is connected at one end by a pivot I 7 to handle member l8. By rotating the handle 18 the link i5 may be withdrawn from its overlapping position with the hawk plate It so that the latter may be pivoted on its hinge by lifting the handle member It.

The form of mortar hawk shown in Figs. 1 to 3 may be used like a shovel in charging the mortar to the hawk plate ill with link l5 overlapping the end of plate I 0. It is then placed against the wall as shown in the lower view of Fig. 3 and handle [8 rotated in the direction shown by the arrow to retrieve the link I5 and release the hawk plate ID. The operator then begins to raise the implement and by means of the grip l2 tilts the hawk plate to an angle as shown in the upper view of Fig. 3 the angle being substantially 30 degrees which effects the application of the mortar to the wall board 2 to a desired thickness. When all of the mortar has been displaced through the troughlike opening between the wall board 2 and plate II), the hawk plate is gradually closed until it is almost parallel to the wall. If desired, it may be used as a trowel for finishing the material on the wall.

In the form of device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the hawk plate is similarly manipulated as the material is progressively applied to the wall by lifting the plate vertically until it is all dispensed by the hawk plate. In Fig. 4 the plate is closed to a narrow angle at the time the mortar has been almost entirely consumed.

The above described hinged type hawk trowel does not require the tight grip necessary in using hand trowels to efiect hinged motion in the stroke of applying the mortar. The hinging effect is automatically obtained by upward motion of the hawk in the application of the mortar.

The operation in the use of the hinged hawk is not as tiring as in the use of a hand trowel with a hand hawk from which the mortar is removed by three or more successive strokes of the trowel.

The hinged trowel as herein disclosed is applicable for mortaring ceilings by charging the hawk with mortar and holding it within three inches of the ceiling, the hawk plate support is lifted by the right hand and the left hand is raised progressively while the hawk sweeps over the area to be covered.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the lines herein two plates are in superimposed relationship, and set forth. a latch for holding said plates in superimposed I claim: relationship. In a plastering device, a base plate, a handle on the underside thereof, a hawk plate of greater 5 Referenfifls Cited in the file of this Patent length than said base plate, a hinge connecting UNITED STATES PATENTS the hawk plate at a point spaced from an edge thereof with an edge of said base plate for angufig ggg g lar movement relative thereto, a handle secured 807,301 Monta "HA-dbl Dec. 12, 1905 to the opposite edge of said hawk plate outside 10 the outer extremity of said base plate when the 

